Hygienic toothbrush holder

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a hygienic toothbrush holder that accommodates toothbrushes and a drinking glass. It is specifically designed to hang on a wall in a suitable place.

United States Patent 1191 6/1950 Boone 312/206 X Taube 5] Oct. 28, 1975 [5 HYGIENIC TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER 2,559,863 7/1951 Fillman 312/207 x 2,950,946 8/1960 Starworth [76] Inventorf Taube, 6986 1 Jona Blvd" 3,138,414 6/1964 LaPollo 312/207 Suite A, La .lolla, Callf. 92037 [22] Flled: Sept 1973 Primary ExaminerCasmir A. Nunberg [21] Appl. No.: 397,581

52 us. c1 312/207; 312/284 [57] ABSTRACT 2 ggg iz This invention relates to a hygienic toothbrush holder o earc that accommodates toothbrushes and a drinking glass. References Cited itbies3 ifisgfically designed to hang on a wall in a suit- UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,5l3,077 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent 'Oct.28, 1975 Sheetlof2 3,915,525

FIG. 6

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 FIG. 4

Sheet 2 of 2 HYGIENIC TOOTHBRUSl-I HOLDER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of this invention is to provide a simple, practical, small highly compact and attractive holder that will house and protect toothbrushes, and that will provide room for a drinking glass.

This was achieved through an unusual novel construction which divides the holder into two small housings that are located at the ends of the holder. The housings achieve maximum compactness since their outlines closely follow the contours and the delineations of the upper or bristle part of the toothbrush which they cover.

The slots that hold the brushes are ranged in a columnar space-saving row at each end and easy access to them is provided by side doors.

A concave top in the hollow space between the two houses serves as a repository for a drinking glass. The open space between bottom or floor and the top and the fluidity of design combine to provide a constant convection of air that dry the toothbrushes.

The resulting holder is not only compact but its curved lines and clean symmetry provide a very pleasing modern design.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed descriptions of construction and operation that appear hereinafter, and through drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the holder with sliding doors at side in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of part of the holder showing an alternate method of mounting the doors. It is taken on a line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the holder with a sliding door in open position showing a view of a toothbrush inserted in a slot.

FIG. 4 shows a horizontal view of the bottom taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a frontal reverse view of the back of the holder taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 showing hanger keepers.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hanger hook bracket.

Referring to the drawings, the holder as an entity is denoted in FIGS. 1 and 3 by the numeral 1. It has a novel dual arrangement of housings 2 which are located at each end. Space is largely conserved by making the housings just large enough to contain the toothbrushes. This is achieved by shaping the housings to follow closely upon the contours and delineations of the upper part, or bristle part, of the toothbrushes which they store.

The front 3 describes the shapes of the housings and connects them through a narrowed wall 4 which spans along the depression or valley between the two housings caused by their separation. The separation was intentionally created not only to achieve aesthetic symmetry and thus make the holder less bulky, but also to create an easily accessible space in front for a drinking glass, between the housings. The support for the drinking glass was achieved in the following manner: the top 5 which extends from the top side of a housing above the door 6 to the other top side of the other housing above the other door 6 recedes between the housings to form a platform 7 FIGS. 1 and 3. This platform supports a drinking glass. The drinking glass can be fitted in a opening in the centre 8 FIG. 1 and 3 which is sufficient in size to accommodate a glass, and which is surrounded by a short circular vertical wall 9 which connects it to the bottom 10. Other methods for supporting the drinking glass can be employed besides providing an opening in the platform: by simply placing it on the platform, or by providing a slight circular depression for the glass.

The bottom 10 contains slots 11 FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 at each extreme end. The slots may be ranged in a columnar row for greater economy of space. The slots should be of a size that will permit easy passage of the handle but too small to permit the wider brush or bristle part to pass. Although the invention has chosen to illustrate a holder with 6 slots, holders with more or fewer slots may be created without enlarging upon the length of the holder. It will, however, alter the dimensions of the depth.

Each side 12 FIGS. 1 and 3 is equipped with a door 6 that slides up to open 13 FIG. 3. The door rides in a groove which is formed by two vertical mouldings 14 and 15 FIG. 3. The door has a narrow ledge at the bottom 16 to facilitate finger-tip movement of the door, it also acts as a restrictive agent in limiting the extent of the upward slide of the door when it comes in contact with the short horizontal bars 17 which are located at the top of the moulding 15 FIG. 3. Ledge 16 must be of a length that will extend beyond the open edge of bar 17.

An alternate method of securing or mounting doors 6 can be achieved by hanging the door from top hinges 18 FIG. 2. The door swings upwards and can be easily controlled by a small lip 19. A ledge 20 which runs along the inside bottom edge of the door at right angles serves to fit snugly under bottom 10 and to keep the door shut. These two methods of hanging the doors are by no means the only ones. Other ways may be employed.

The back of the holder 21 FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 is equipped with U-shaped hanger keepers 22 FIG. 5 which are mounted on each housing unit 2. The keepers can either be cemented or welded depending on the material used, or may form part of the back. The keepers fit in to hanger hooks 23 FIG. 6 which are mounted on the wall by means of screws or nails. Other types of brackets or methods of hanging may be adopted.

The open tunnel-like space between the bottom and top which runs between the housings, together with the curved fluidity of the shape of the holder combine to create an air convection that keep the brushes dry.

It will be obvious from the above description that this invention provides a hygienic, protected toothbrush holder which also contains a platform for a drinking glass, that the holderis small, simple, compact and of novel pleasing design.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is as follows:

front vertical lengthwise wall joiningly receding between opposed housings and forming U-shaped wall, a rear vertical lengthwise wall substantially of the same size and shape as the front vertical wall, a door forming the vertical outwardly side wall of each housing, said door sliding vertically in grooves or hingedly mounted to open and close constitutes a cover for the housing. l k 

1. A toothbrush cabinet comprising two opposed housings having a lower slotted bottom wall for accommodating toothbrushes and a spaced upper wall forming vertical wall at opposite ends with curved top portion for the two opposed housings, said upper wall area between the housings providing support accommodation for a drinking glass, said two opposed housings covering the slotted portions of the bottom walls, a front vertical lengthwise wall joiningly receding between opposed housings and forming U-shaped wall, a rear vertical lengthwise wall substantially of the same size and shape as the front vertical wall, a door forming the vertical outwardly side wall of each housing, said door sliding vertically in grooves or hingedly mounted to open and close constitutes a cover for the housing. 